Little is known about the surface ultrastructure of Bordetella pertussis. It is the object of this research to define the location, spatial relationships and biochemical composition of the major surface constituents of B. pertussis and their contribution to the disease pertussis. SDS-PAGE of cloned, whole bacterial cells and their cell fractions, coupled with various chemical, immunchemical and enzyme "staining" techniques, as well as 125I-surface labeling, peptide mapping and nearest neighbor (cross-linking) analysis are used to determie the chemical nature, location and relatedness of cell components. Double diffusion and two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis with hyperimmune and hybridoma antibody are used to follow the qualitative and quantitative production of antigenic constituents in a modifiable defined medium. Purification of the major antigens is sought to chemically define them and to assess their potential in improved vaccines and dignostic reagents. If possible, the genes coding for important major antigens will be cloned into an appropriate vehicle for enrichment of antigen production.